Hank B. Swartout
College of Engineering and Physical Sciences
HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2011
Petroleum Technology Diploma, 1972, Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (S.A.I.T.)
BEng Honors, Petroleum Engineering, 1977 - University of Wyoming
Hank was born in 1951 and raised in Melfort, Saskatchewan. After graduating high school
from St. Peter’s College in Muenster, Saskatchewan, Hank moved to Calgary in 1971
and completed the petroleum program at Calgary’s Southern Alberta Institute of Technology.
He then attended the University of Wyoming and graduated with honors in petroleum
engineering. In 1978, Hank returned to Calgary and joined Nabors Drilling to build
rigs for use in Alberta and Alaska. He then moved to Edmonton in 1981, to manage the
rig design and construction business of Dreco Energy Services Ltd., delivering drilling
rigs to clients for use in 48 Southern states, Canada, Alaska, and overseas.
In 1985, Hank went into business for himself in Calgary and purchased an interest
in Cypress Drilling which only had three drilling rigs and 20 employees. In 1987,
Cypress acquired the drilling assets of Precision Drilling Ltd. As the executive chairman
and founder of Precision Drilling (1987) Ltd., he was able to direct and lead Precision
Drilling into becoming the third largest oilfield service company in the world with
over 15,000 employees and working in 34 countries. Hank retired from Precision Drilling
in August of 2007, and continues to be active in small private oil and gas companies.
He continues to be a leader and mentor in the oil and gas industry.
Hank resides in Calgary, Alberta Canada with his wife, Carol and together they have
four children and five grandchildren.
